CAIRO - The G20 summit in China with Egypt's participation as a guest of honor represents anopportunity to further boost Egyptian-Chinese economic partnership, Alaa Haider, editor-in-chiefof Egypt's official MENA news agency, told Xinhua in an interview.

　　Chinese President Xi Jinping invited his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to attend thesummit that will be held in eastern China's Hangzhou city on Sept. 4-5, gathering the leaders ofthe world's largest economies.

　　"The G20 summit is significant for China and the whole world, as it is held this year under thetheme of stimulating and urging world trade, which has declined over the past two years since thelast G20 summit in 2014," said Haider, adding that China sees Egypt as a key player in theturmoil-stricken Middle East region.

　　Egypt is currently working on the necessary infrastructure for the development of its Suez Canalcorridor after the recent expansion of the vital waterway, while China is working on the Belt andRoad Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

　　The main idea of the initiative is to revive ancient trade routes to link China with over 60 countriesin Asia, Africa and Europe through the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century MaritimeSilk Road.

　　"The Suez Canal corridor development project is planned to turn the area into a logistic,industrial, agricultural, service, touristic and also technological region. There should be acomplimentary project to optimize the Suez Canal corridor development project, and this can beChina's Silk Road," MENA chief told Xinhua.

　　"Egypt was the main portal of the Middle East part of the Silk Road in the region's trade withChina," he added, stressing that China also seeks future cooperation between the Silk Road andthe Suez Canal.

　　President Sisi visited China twice since he came to office and President Xi also paid a veryimportant visit to Egypt in January, and both leaders agreed to elevate the level of their ties to"comprehensive strategic partnership."

　　The Egyptian editor-in-chief said that Sisi's upcoming visit to China is also meant to continuewhat he agreed upon with Xi, which is the integration between the Silk Road and the Suez Canalcorridor as a common interest between Egypt and China.

　　During his first state visit to Egypt, President Xi made an important speech at the Arab Leagueheadquarters in Cairo where he emphasized "development" as the key to resolve most MiddleEast problems, especially growing terrorism and other conflicts.

　　"China cares about maintaining development all over the world, which is in favor of all. Chinadoes not restrict its trade exchange to the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia, but it paysgreat interest in Africa and the Arab world, and Egypt is both an African and Arab country. So,China's care about Africa and the Arab states is also in favor of Egypt," Haider explained.

　　He added that the world stability is in favor of China's interest as the world's most populouscountry seeks to implement its Silk Road revival initiative and to utilize its large infrastructuresthat are suitable for all kinds of local and foreign industries and investments.

　　"As a large economic power - or the world's factory - China sees that world economy needsstimulation, which is in favor of Egypt in the first place, as recession in world trade causesrecession in the traffic at Egypt's vital waterway," Haider said.

　　He stressed that Egypt and China have distinguished historical ties without any history of colonialambitions and so Egypt and Arab states in general look at China as "one of the most importantpowers that rose over the past 20 years to make a balance with the United States after the fall ofthe Soviet Union."

　　According to Haider, Egypt as a non-permanent two-year Security Council member can makeuse of its G20 participation to defend the Arab and African causes and shed light on thePalestinian cause, "which has been idle since terrorism overwhelmed the world."

　　He argued that Israel get abnormal support from the United States and that the Middle East'sinstability and chaos is supported by Western powers only to serve the interests of Israel.

　　In modern history, most Arab and African states supported the independence of China and Egyptwas the first among them to recognize China and establish diplomatic relations with Beijing in1956.

　　"This year, we celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations with China, whose comprehensivestrategic partnership with Egypt gives the Arab country a great advantage and priority ineconomic cooperation with China," Haider told Xinhua, noting there are large Chineseinvestments in Egypt but they are required to increase in the coming stage.